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NATS (Luton)

My hon. Friend's comments are now on the record, and I am sure that they will be noted by the relevant parties. As part of the regulatory process, the CAA may consider seeking the Secretary of State's views on the environmental aspects of the proposal and then her approval for any change. Therefore, it would be premature and inappropriate of me to comment on the specifics of the proposal while it is still subject to the rigours of the independent airspace change process. That said, it might be helpful if I give some background on the proposals and the current consultation, and explain the procedures by which changes to UK airspace are made. As my hon. Friend will be aware, NATS launched a 13-week consultation on the proposed terminal control north airspace change on 21 February. This area of airspace is one of the most complex in the world, with routes in and out of many major airports, including Heathrow, Stansted, Luton and London City, as well as smaller airports such as Southend and RAF Northolt. The current airspace infrastructure has accommodated growth at those airports over the past 20 years, but increasing traffic has led to congestion in the airways, resulting in delays and extra fuel burn, which impacts on the environment. The proposed changes are designed to reduce delay while maintaining safety and improving environmental performance. I must stress here that the proposal is not associated with, and does not assume, any future development at Heathrow, Stansted or any other airport. It represents business as usual for NATS which, under the terms of its operating licence, is obliged to make the most efficient overall use of airspace and to meet reasonable levels of overall demand. To meet that requirement, it constantly reviews its airspace management, including procedures and applications of technology, and makes proposals for airspace changes where it believes they are necessary. NATS' consultation on the terminal control north airspace change proposal is the largest of its kind to be undertaken. The affected region has a population of 12.6 million people. As my hon. Friend pointed out, NATS is directly consulting more than 3,000 primary stakeholders, including MPs, county councils, borough councils, district councils, parish councils, environmental organisations, chambers of commerce, business organisations and aviation stakeholders.